Is That A Gun In Your Pocket?
by Jabberwocky1
Summary: Chapter Extension. I received so many requests to continue and extend Chapter 19 from my story Tough Love that I have bowed to peer pressure. Please enjoy the Alecy/Maxness ;D
1. Chapter 19 Part A

_**A/N:**__ Okay, here is the chapter extension that so many of you requested. The first chapter is the original Chapter 19 out of my story Tough Love, the second chapter is the extension chapter. For any of you reading this who have not read Tough Love, you should be able to understand it without having read it. Below is a short summary if you're not inclined to go read it:_

_Max is the leader of T.C., and ends up working herself almost to death trying to keep T.C. running singlehandedly. After she almost dies, Alec decides that if Max is not prepared to look after her health herself, then he'll just have to do it for her. He becomes authoritative, strong and uncompromising; laying down _'The Rules' _and attempting to_ _make her abide by them_. _It becomes a battle of wills between the two to see if Alec can enforce his rules, or if Max is cunning enough to outplay him. By this point in the story Alec is trying to encourage Max to lighten up and take her recreation time – which is one of his rules. _

_**Warning: **__Swearing_

* * *

**Is That A Gun In Your Pocket?**

"Hey Max."

Max looked up to see Alec in her doorway. "Hey, what's up?"

"I have something I want to show you."

"And what would that be?" Max smiled, as she subtly ran her eyes over him. She had been doing this more and more lately, taking advantage of the situation Alec presented her with, seeing as though he always insisted on posing in a very model-like way against her doorframe. Today he had on a black t-shirt and a pair of very snug fitting jeans, and Max noted, not for the first time, that the man did not wear his jeans - his jeans wore _him_.

"It would be another spare of the moment, unscheduled, but very delightful activity," he grinned mischievously.

"Another surprise?" she smiled, getting up and walking out of her office. "So where are we headed? Or is that classified information?"

Max noted idly that she could feel Alec's hand resting on the small of her back as he guided her. He had been touching her so regularly lately that half the time it took her a while to realise, but once she had she couldn't help the sparks of awareness that coursed through her.

"Classified information," Alec grinned. "I just thought you needed to take time out to smell the roses."

Max grinned and looked up at him. "You bought me flowers?"

"Nope, something much better," Alec smiled back.

"I don't know…I kinda want the flowers. No one has ever bought me flowers before," Max teased, only half joking.

Alec laughed at her cute little pout. "Well try and get over the disappointment, 'cause it's not flowers."

Max looked around and noted the direction they were headed. "Are you taking me to the school?"

"Maybe," Alec replied conspiratorially.

As they walked down the alley and through the front door Max was surprised to note how quiet the building was, considering it was supposed to be filled with children. Admittedly there weren't that many pupils yet, but that number was sure to grow.

It wasn't until she crossed the threshold and turned around to see why Alec hadn't followed her that Max suddenly realised why the room was so quiet – it was an ambush. Suddenly the sound of gunfire echoed around the room as bullets flew in all directions. Max felt herself get hit four times – once in the shoulder, twice in the chest and once in the gut.

As she looked at herself in shock, her hand wandered down of its own accord to finger the wetness that was now staining her shirt and dripping onto the concrete; and Max felt an irrational burst of laughter bubble to the surface. She quickly suppressed it before turning to face her four attackers, who were still standing pressed up against the wall inside the doorway, watching her warily.

Max quickly flashed a devious smile and placed her finger to her lips to indicate they should remain silent before beginning to yell at the top of her lungs in the most menacing tone she could muster.

"AND WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK YOU'RE DOING? FIRING ON A SUPERIOR OFFICER! WHY I OUGHTA –

"Hey, hey!" Alec yelled, as he suddenly sprinted through the door. "Don't yell at them it was --"

Max gave the signal. A barrage of bullets was released, and Alec looked down in shock at the sticky mess now dripping off his chest.

"All your idea?" Max asked innocently, as she smiled evilly at the fluoro coloured mess on Alec's black shirt. Those paintballs were gonna stain.

Alec's eyes rose to meet Max's smiling ones. Alec chuckled, "Why you little --"

"Me!? You're the one that lured me down here with the express intention of getting my ass shot up! You can't get your knickers in a knot when you get bested at your own game, Alec." Max grinned, very pleased with herself.

"I can assure you that my knickers are _not_ in a knot," Alec smirked darkly, "I haven't got any on."

Max gaped at him in astonishment. "I can't believe you just said that in front of the children," she hissed, shooting them a sideways glance.

Alec's eyes strayed to the four ten and eleven year olds still standing at attention staring back at them. "They're hardly children Max," Alec pointed out.

"In _that_ respect I hope they are," Max whispered. "Besides, no one here needs to know exactly what state of… undress, you're in."

"Oh, come on Max," Alec purred as he began to slink in her direction. "We both know you're more than a little interested."

Max began to back up. For every step he took in her direction she took one away, making sure to maintain some distance between them.

"Are you seriously this arrogant, or do you put it on just to annoy me?"

"I'm not arrogant, I'm just perfect. A universal truth I think everyone should be aware of."

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that pride is a cardinal sin, Alec?" Max accused.

"It's only pride when it is an exaggeration of the truth. I'm just being honest," he grinned, a feral light entering his eye.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure that's _not_ how it works," Max replied sceptically; but Alec didn't pay her any attention.

"Plus with all the sins that I've already committed, and plan to commit in the future…" he purred, raking his eyes up and down Max like he was undressing her and preparing to consume her whole, "I doubt I'm Heaven material."

Max swallowed heavily. She highly doubted he was anything _other_ than heaven inducing.

Alec chuckled darkly. "You know Max, last time I checked lust was a cardinal sin too," his eyes flashing dangerously as he continued to advance on her. "What d'ya say we forget Heaven and fall from Grace together?"

Alec was more than a little shocked when a wide smile blossomed across Max's face and she chuckled wickedly. "Careful what you wish for..."

Max suddenly turned and issued an order with her hands, which was immediately obeyed by the pintsized soldier closest to her, throwing her his gun. The next thing Alec felt was a sharp sting as two shots hit him in the exact same spot on his chest.

"Godammit Max! That's gonna bruise!"

"Poor baby," she laughed as she ran off.

"Oh you will be, baby!" he yelled after her, as he caught the gun that was flung at him. "You two go re-arm, then approach H.Q. from the east. You two come with me, we'll take her from the west." Alec smirked. Victory was close at hand, he could feel it.

oOoOoOoOo

Mole was minding his own business leaning over a map next to Dix in the middle of Headquarters when he was hit on the back of the head by something hard and wet.

"In the name of General McCarthy..." Mole yelled, as he put a hand to his head and found it covered in fluoro pink paint. "I've been shot!" he yelped in astonishment. "Who shot me!? Who shot me!! Someone had better own up or I'm gonna skin ya alive before I kill ya when I find out!" he roared, as he turned in the direction the shot had originated from.

"You? Of all the low, underhanded things… I thought you were one of the good ones!" Mole accused, livid.

Alec could do nothing but stand where he was in the middle of the doorway, flanked by his mini-troops. "I swear man, it wasn't me," Alec implored.

"Well you're the only idiot I see standin' there with a paint gun!"

"Yeah, but I didn't fire it!" Alec said, slightly panicked.

"_Sure_ you didn't J.I. Joe," Mole spat as he stalked towards Alec. "You better be more careful in future, 'cause next time you're gonna be swallowing that gun, and I don't mean in the traditional way!" Mole roared, as he pushed past Alec and out of Headquarters.

Alec gave a huge sigh of relief as he looked around the room. "Man, I thought I was gonna end up as reptile food then."

It was then that Alec heard a soft gasping noise coming from behind the filing cabinet in the corner.

As he stalked over quietly and peered over the edge, he found Max sprawled on the floor crying with laughter.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

"The look…on your…face…," Max laughed up at him, grabbing her heaving sides. "I thought you were gonna leave a big old mess in the middle of H.Q."

"I can't believe you framed me!" he accused.

"I didn't frame you," Max replied, as she stood up and brushed herself down, "Mole just jumped to conclusions. That's not _my_ fault."

Max looked down at the mess on her shirt. "Well, now all the excitement is over, I'm gonna go get cleaned up."

"You could have come to my defence," Alec muttered, as he followed her out of Headquarters.

"And face Mole? No way!" she snorted.

"Hey Max?"

"Yeah?"

As soon as Max turned around she knew it was a mistake. Alec hit her twice before she could take cover behind a stack of boxes. The only thing that made her feel better was the fact that as she dived she managed to hit him once in the upper thigh.

"Fuck! Watch where you're shootin' Max!"

She chuckled evilly. "You started this little game Rambo. If you can't take the hits, get outta the war!"

All Max could hear was a bunch of disgruntled curses coming from Alec's direction. She suddenly opened fire on him before turning to make her escape out the door.

Max blurred through the streets before taking cover and laying in wait for him. She didn't have to wait long before she could hear him and his little band of cowboys approaching. Trust Alec to corrupt the nation's youth.

She waited till she heard him get close enough, and opened fire. Max held the most advantageous position, but with one against three she was taking as many hits as they were. Then suddenly she felt herself under attack from the right. As she looked over she noticed that the numbers were now five against one. Max knew she didn't stand a chance if she remained this heavily out numbered. She needed to divide and conquer.

She sent a death inducing glare at the two mini-Alec's attacking her right side, and signalled that they were to step down. NOW!

They nodded once, and she immediately gave them new orders and sent them to the right while she ducked around to the left. Catching the eye of the soldier fighting on Alec's right she gave him the order to stand down.

She then ducked around the back and attacked Alec from the rear.

"Hey, guys? Where are you? I'm gettin' my ass beat here!" Alec yelled as he engaged Max.

"You ready to surrender yet, Alec?" Max laughed.

Never!" he yelled, as he fired a barrage of bullets.

Max ducked behind some boxes, then suddenly bullets stoped flying and all she could hear was the familiar sound of an empty clip.

"Uh Alec, I think you might've run outta bullets," Max laughed, as she stepped calmly from behind the boxes to face him, gun in hand. "Wanna rethink that whole surrender thing?"

"I, ah…" Alec slowly backed up, and looked around himself frantically for his backup.

One by one they appeared -- and came to stand beside Max.

Alec took in his defecting troops, before staring in confusion at Max. "What did you _do_ to them?"

"I don't know what you mean," Max smiled sweetly.

"Guys? You turned traitor on me?"

All four looked at each other a little guiltily, before the largest boy spoke. "Sorry Alec, but she's heaps scarier than you."

"Yeah, Max assigns the worst chores when she gets mad," the smallest piped up.

Alec opened his month to argue before shutting it. "You're right," he sighed, "I woulda done the same thing. I surrender," he said, giving a meaningful look at Max before dropping his weapon, and putting his arms in the air.

"And we are _ALL_ witnesses to that fact!" Max smirked happily, before turning to her newest recruits. "Now can you four please take the weapons back and store them properly before going to get cleaned up."

"Yes, Max!" they yelled in unison, before blurring away.

Max chuckled as she watched them disappear from sight, before turning back and inspecting the mess on her shirt again. "Which is what I am going to go and do right now," Max muttered, as she started walking towards their apartment.

Alec jogged to catch up with her. "You know we could get cleaned up together," he suggested slyly. "I'm pretty sure that I have some paint in places that I won't be able to reach on my own," he said, waggling his eyebrows at her. "I might need some specialist help."

Max stole a glance at him and suppressed a smile. He was indeed covered, literally head-to-toe, in splotches of pink, green, yellow and blue paint. She was pretty sure that he even had some in his ear. "Then I suggest you go back to Mole on your hands and knees and beg forgiveness," Max replied seriously.

"Uh…not _exactly_ the scenario I had in mind," Alec muttered. "You know most women would be falling over themselves to take up that offer."

"Well, as you have already pointed out Alec, I am not most women," Max replied, as she opened the door to the apartment and stalked inside. She walked directly into the bathroom and shut the door firmly.

"I knew there had to be a down side to that, and I think that I just found it," Alec groused to himself.

While Max was in the shower Alec perched himself on a stool in the kitchen to wait his turn, and looked longingly at the couch. He knew that if he flopped himself down on it and accidentally smudged paint on it Max would have an aneurism, and then she would somehow find a way to inflict one on him. So Alec waited less than patiently for her to emerge from the bathroom. He found that he had trouble not listening to the sounds coming from within and imagining _exactly _what Max was doing in there.

Alec was so lost in his visualisations that he failed to notice anything until a very wet, and what looked to be semi-naked Max, stuck her head out of the bathroom door.

"Dammit Alec! What sorta paint did you put in those paint guns!?"

"Uh…just the usual," he hedged. To be honest the paint balls _had_ looked a little old, but he had figured that as long as they shot and splattered, there was nothing wrong with using them.

"Well it's not coming off! I still look like an Easter Egg!"

"Well… that's not such a bad thing to be, if you have to be something," Alec rationalised. "Everybody loves Easter Eggs, and they taste good, and you do make a very cute Easter Egg," he said with a smirk, taking in her multi-coloured hair and skin. "But you might wanna come out here further and show me properly…just to make sure." The least amount of clothes Alec had ever seen Max in was a singlet and jeans, and he seriously just wanted one glance at her all wet and in a towel.

"If you value your life, you'll go find something to remove this paint!" Max yelled, as she yanked her head back inside the bathroom and slammed the door hard enough to make the whole apartment shake.

oOoOoOoOo

Upon his return, Alec found Max sitting on the stool at the kitchen bench. "Here try this," he said, sitting a bottle down in front of her. "It's the best I could do. It should take the paint off with a bit of rubbing."

"Thanks," Max said, as she slid off the stool and went to a draw in the kitchen. She pulled out an old tea towel and proceeded to rip it in half before handing half to Alec. She walked over to the kitchen wall and leaned her back against it and gracefully slid down it to sit on the floor. She then looked up at Alec and patted the space beside her.

Alec plonked down beside her and watched as she grabbed the bottle of Metho and unscrewed the lid, before putting the cloth over the neck and upending the bottle. She then proceeded to extend her left arm and rub the cloth on a bright green splotch on her forearm.

Max smiled as the paint steadily began to dissolve. She was thankful because she was covered from head-to-toe, the paint even having bled through her clothes to stain her skin.

"Thank God! I thought I was gonna look like a packet of M&M's threw up on me for the rest of my life."

Alec picked up his piece of cloth and covered it in the nasty smelling spirit before scrubbing at his arms. His attention was suddenly drawn to Max as she extended her legs in one fluid motion out in front of herself, and started scrubbing her upper thigh. It was then that Alec realised that she only had on a singlet and a pair of very short shorts. He had never seen Max's bare legs before, and they were just as perfect as the rest of her.

When she'd finished Max stood and moved towards the bathroom.

"Ah, Max…" Alec said, as he stood.

"What?"

He walked over to her and ran his fingertips over her bare shoulders. "You do realise that your back still looks like a gay pride float exploded all over it?" he said, smiling softly.

"Damn," she muttered as she craned her neck, trying to see over her shoulder.

"Come here," he said, as he grabbed the cloth and bottle and went to sit on the stool again. Max walked over and stood in front of him. Alec reached out and gently turned her so that her back was to him.

He started removing the paint on the back of her arms first, before moving to the plains of her back that her singlet left exposed. He then let his hands wander down to the hem of her shirt and gently began to lift. He felt Max stiffen but she didn't object, which surprised Alec. Not that long ago she would have pitched a fit about him being so presumptuous; but clearly not today. As he worked his way further up her back Alec held her shirt bunched up out of the way in his left hand. It wasn't until he was working high up in the centre of her back that Alec suddenly realised that she clearly hadn't put her bra back on after her shower. Something that made him swallow heavily.

After running his eyes over her back in a final sweep to make sure that he hadn't missed any paint he released her shirt, and smoothed it back down into place.

"Finished?" Max asked.

"Not quite."

Max felt Alec put both hands on her hips, and he pushed gently until she took a step forward. She then felt him slip from the stool to kneel behind her. Max couldn't hear him move, but somehow she sensed him, and she stood not breathing as she tried to follow his movements behind her.

Alec heard Max suck in a sharp gasp of air as he very lightly brushed his fingertips over a splotch of paint on the back of her thigh. He looked up briefly to see if this time she was going to put a stop to this, but as she remained still and was apparently permitting him to continue, he did just that.

Alec spied a bright blue patch peeking from high up under her shorts. He only thought about it for a split second before carefully raising the material and lightly rubbing the cloth against her skin. He tried to keep his mind on the task at hand and his eyes off her ass, which was not helped by the fact that it was presently at eyeball level. He was also having difficulty not deliberating on whether she was _entirely _without underwear. From where he was sitting it was a distinct possibility.

"Alec?" Max gasped breathily. This whole situation was starting to get a bit concerning from where she was barely standing – she was having to clutch the bench top to keep herself upright. After all, here she was standing in the middle of her kitchen, in barely any clothing, letting Alec put his hands all over her. At the present moment his hands were about half an inch below her ass, and she could feel his warm breath on the backs of her legs. She _needed_ him to hurry this up.

Max felt Alec stand. "You're all good now," he murmured huskily over her shoulder.

"Thanks," Max whispered back, as she walked unsteadily in the direction of the bathroom and softly shut the door behind her.

When she stepped out of the bathroom ten minutes later, Max stoped dead in her tracks at what she saw. There stood Alec right where she had left him in the middle of the kitchen, but this time he was shirtless and rubbing at a spot of bright pink paint on his stomach.

She didn't hesitate long before she walked over to stand in front of him and picked up her discarded cloth again, soaking it in the Mentholated Spirits.

Alec stopped what he was doing to watch her. Max met his gaze and gave him a small smile before dropping them. It was then that a bruise in the centre of his chest caught her eye. She reached her fingers out and touched it lightly before she realised what she was doing.

Max quickly looked up at him with a slightly embarrassed expression. "Sorry."

Alec chuckled down at her. "I told you that was gonna bruise. I have to hand it to you Max, you're a good shot."

Max chuckled too as she stepped behind him and admired his broad back. She had to admit that while his front was very impressive, his muscled back was just as striking, even covered in fluoro spots.

Max took a deep breath and tentatively placed a steadying hand on Alec's back as she began rubbing at a bright yellow spot.

Alec was standing very still, concentrating on following her touches as they moved across his skin. He had to admit that he was kinda surprised that Max was volunteering to help him out like this. The old Max would have blamed all this on him, refused to talk to him for a week, and then really sent him elsewhere to get this crap off him. But there hadn't been any serious blaming, and here she was voluntarily touching him.

Alec was pulled out of his thoughts by Max's voice. "Um, I think you might need to sit down, 'cause I'm not gonna be able to reach the higher ones otherwise."

Alec did as she asked. He sat very still as she went to work on the paint on his shoulders.

"Hey Max."

"Mmmm," Max mumbled, distracted as she spotted a smudge of blue paint high up on his neck, next to his barcode. As she began to rub at it she felt Alec shiver slightly.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but… I like this new Max. She's more fun."

"What are you talking about? There is no new Max. This is me."

"Well this new attitude then."

"There is no new attitude."

Alec spun himself around on the stool to face her, and Max suddenly found herself standing between his legs. "Are you trying to tell me that if a month ago I had ambushed you with a bunch of kids wielding paint guns and got your ass shot up, you would have laughed it off, picked up your own gun, shot Mole in the back of the head, and tried to turn me into lizard food?" he asked, cocking his head to the side and raising his eyebrows expectantly.

"Definitely."

Alec's lips quirked in a way that told Max just how much he didn't believe her.

"Okay, possibly not, but we'll never know now will we," she smiled, as she took a small step forward and brushed the cloth against a green stain on the skin just below his ear.

Alec swallowed heavily. "Max…" his voice was deep and rough.

"Yeah?" She looked up to meet his eyes and found that he was studying her face with an almost uncomfortable expression.

"Sorry," she mumbled, assuming it was her closeness that was upsetting him, and went to take a step backwards.

Alec reached out and grabbed the hand with the cloth and kept it where it was against his skin, while placing his other hand on her hip, preventing her from going anywhere. "That's not what I meant," he whispered.

She looked at him curiously. "What did you mean?"

"I…" Alec suddenly looked away from her.

"I just wanted to say that I know we haven't always gotten on very well in the past, but I'm glad that we do now," he was now looking intently at her, and Max felt his fingers slowly begin to caress the skin at her hip. "Cause you're kinda one of my best friends." He watched her hesitantly to see how she reacted to his little revelation.

A slow smile spread across Max's face "Really?"

"Yeah Max, really."

Alec watched as Max stood there and thought about what he had just admitted.

"That's good," she said with a genuine smile, "because you're one of my best friends too."

"Seriously?" Alec was slightly shocked. He knew that she tolerated him, but he never thought that Max would really forgive him for all the stupid crap he'd pulled in the time that he'd known her. At least not forgive him enough to consider him a close friend.

"Are you kidding!" Max laughed. "If it hadn't been for you I would have gone insane months ago. Probably would have turned Mole into a nice clutch purse by now."

Alec threw back his head and laughed; a sound that always made Max smile.

Alec suddenly focussed and frowned slightly, before tugging on her hip lightly till she stepped closer still, so he could lean up and brush his thumb against her jaw, just below her ear. He suddenly met her eyes, "You've still got a bit of paint," he said in explanation, before his eyes returned to her neck.

Max's heart rate accelerated as she watched him bring his thumb to his mouth and lick it, before reaching out to her and lightly rubbing at the offending splotch of paint. The intimacy of the gesture blew Max away.

She found she couldn't do anything but stand there and watch him as he passed his eyes over her; she didn't think that any man had ever looked at her like Alec was currently doing, and it made her heart race. He was still sitting impossibly close stroking her jaw; and then Max could tell that suddenly he was stroking _her,_ and not the blob of paint on her face.

His eyes suddenly met hers and Max felt something pass between them, like he had allowed her see a part of himself that she'd never seen before; but because she'd never witnessed it before she didn't recognise it. And then it was gone. Maybe he'd seen something in her expression that had made him change his mind, she didn't know. All she knew was that now he was in control of his expression, and Max felt the loss.

Alec issued a silent warning to himself. For a moment there he had forgotten where he was and what he was doing. He had been so caught up with finally being close to Max, that he hadn't thought when he had seen that blob of paint. He had just been going on instinct. And then he had been so immersed in the feeling of being able to touch her that he hadn't given a thought to the consequences of such an action. It hadn't been until he had looked into her wide, surprised eyes, that he realised that he might have frightened her, and that was the last thing he ever wanted to do.

"Sorry," he said softly, looking a little sheepish. "That was a little…overly familiar."

Max shrugged, a wide smile spreading across her face, like she found something funny. "Don't sweat it. What's a bit of saliva between friends?"

And then in a moment that Alec could only assume must be insanity, he was leaning up and kissing her. He felt her stiffen and freeze, and just as he was about to pull away and try and find the words to apologise, he felt her lean into him and thread her fingers through his hair. He slid his arm tightly around her narrow waist and reeled her in, while the hand caressing her jaw and neck kept her exactly where he wanted her as he deepened the kiss.

Max was feeling light-headed as she clung to him, and she knew that she had never been kissed like this before. Ever. It was gentle and soft, yet demanding and all-consuming; and either Alec had really been holding out about his feeling for her, or he was just a goddamn good kisser. And from the way she could barely remember what her name was - because the only name that was currently running through her head was Alec's - she knew the second one was _definitely_ true.

Alec very reluctantly broke the kiss and cautiously looked up at her. He watched as her eyes slowly fluttered open and focused on his face, before they dropped to his lips. He waited anxiously for her to say something. The only thing that calmed him was the fact that she hadn't yet tried to remove herself from his grasp. She was still standing between his legs, pressed against him, with her fingers still entwined in his hair.

"So, what was that for?" Max finally asked breathlessly, looking up to meet his gaze.

"Uh," Alec cleared his throat. "Just being friendly."

"Is that all?" Max queried, an amused smile playing on her face.

"What's a bit of saliva between friends, eh?" Alec smiled back softly, as he caressed her face with his thumb.


	2. Chapter 19 Part B

Max chuckled back at him as she ran her hand lightly through Alec's hair, making him lean into her touch ever so lightly; and she marvelled at the soft texture of his golden locks. After what had just happened she had trouble taking her eyes off him, running them across his features, trying to drink them in. Sure, she'd been aware of Alec's remarkable beauty before, but she'd never had the compulsion to study him in detail, to memorise him.

Her eyes trailed his brow, smooth and tanned, with only a hint of worry lines etched into his forehead; something that Max found oddly comforting – like he shared her burdens. Her eyes roamed slowly down to meet an intense swirling hazel gaze as he stared back in cautious fascination and rapt attention at her. Max had to admit that those eyes were captivating; they drew her in, like a fish to a lure. She also realised that she had never noticed before how long Alec's eyelashes were; really quite extraordinary for a man. She could almost taste the envy some women would have for those lashes.

As Max's eyes drifted lower they traced his high cheekbones, his strong nose and chiselled jaw. He really did have perfect bone structure; something that made him look masculine, strong and authoritative, yet somehow boyish. Those high arches and gentle slopes made her want to run her fingers over them desperately, wanting to memorise their every contour, and the texture of his smooth warm skin beneath her fingertips.

But it was Alec's mouth that really held Max's attention. She had never realised before how he spoke with it; and she didn't mean the words that came out of it, even if they _were_ plentiful. It was the way with just a twitch at the corner of his mouth he could indicate his amusement. Or the way she could tell just from one of his smirks what his mood was. She could tell whether it was a playful, sarcastic, annoyed, devious or a downright predatory smirk. But it was those rare genuine smiles that Max always looked for most; they lit up his face like a full moon in the night sky.

As she continued to stare at Alec's lips, Max noticed that they were slightly swollen and reddened from their breath stealing kiss, and it made her smile as she thought back on what it had been like to kiss him. She had to admit that she had never _really_ considered it much before - what it would be like - but now Max had to wonder _why_ it had never occurred to her before this. He was certainly talented at it. It was almost like he knew exactly how she needed to be kissed; the precise amount of pressure applied to the exact spot to make her blood boil in her veins.

She also realised that his kisses were very similar to his smirks - because just as Alec could communicate with a smirk, he could communicate through a kiss too. That kiss had told her that he wanted nothing more than to be simply kissing her in that moment - to tell her that he was sure of this, that he wanted this, and that he wanted to show her that _she_ wanted it to. And he had made a compelling argument.

Alec watched Max intently as she studied him, and he couldn't help but to hold his breath as he waited for her verdict; because that's what it felt like - like she was measuring him by some invisible unquantifiable scale.

As Max ran her eyes back over the entirety of Alec's handsome face she could tell just from the tightness around his eyes and the stiff way he held himself that he was waiting for her reaction to her perusal. She flashed him a small soft smile and watched as the tension lines melted away, and he gave her a small grin of his own in return.

Alec let his hand wander into Max's hair, running it through the damp strands as best he could. "Do you need a hand with this?" he asked softly, as he fingered a clump of blue paint still clinging to her hair.

"I - -"

Max wasn't sure what answer she was supposed to give to that question. If she were being strictly _practical_ she supposed she should accept such an offer, because it wasn't likely she'd be able to get all this mess out of her hair on her own. But at the same time if she were _sensible _she should consider how such an acceptance would be construed by Alec. Would he assume that that 'hand' he had so willingly offered, extended to…well…other things?

Alec saw Max's struggle plainly play out across her beautiful features, and it gave him hope. He could see that she _was_ thinking about saying 'yes', but that she was worried about what _exactly_ she was saying 'yes' too.

"Hey," he said gently, his fingers returning to stroke her cheek as he looked her in the eye. "I'm only offering to help with the hair situation, nothing else," he reassured softly, giving her a crooked smile.

Max suddenly realised how silly and unfair her thoughts had just been. Sure he'd made jokes and double entendres about this exact situation, but she should have realised that Alec would never presume something like that. Yeah, he sometimes acted like a silly frat boy; and even though half the women in Crash wouldn't have minded if he simply bent them over a pool table - and in some cases even suggested it themselves – she knew Alec would never make assumptions about a woman like that. He was nothing but the consummate gentlemen in all his actions; and Max felt guilty for thinking so poorly of him.

Max flashed Alec a small relived smile as she gave a slight nod of acceptance, before slowly turning and moving towards the bathroom.

Max couldn't hear Alec moving behind her, but again she could feel him – his presence. It felt like he was a large mass of energy stalking her, and she felt inextricably drawn to him; like to a magnet. She could feel his gravitational pull on her, and it was like the closer he was to her, the more charged she felt. And just like a magnet and an electrical device, if he got too close, her brain fried like an electrical circuit.

Max suddenly found herself in the middle of the small bathroom with Alec standing impossibly close, and she had a moment of panic at the intimacy of the situation, and how _exactly_ they were going to do this.

Max knew instinctively that she mustn't remove any of her clothing – because for the first time in forever she _thought_ she wanted to; she had this insane urge to throw caution to the wind and just be reckless for once. But she knew that even if one iota of clothing left her body, and Alec looked at her again in that heated way of his, she would be toast. And that scared her. Because she knew that _that _shouldn't happen between them, and she never wanted to find out if in that situation she would be able to fight it, or if she would even _want_ to.

Alec noticed the way Max froze in the middle of the room and looked around anxiously, like she didn't know what was expected, and he decided to take pity on her.

He took another step closer and leaned around her to turn the taps on over the basin to let it fill. He felt Max shiver as his bare skin brushed up against hers, and he wondered idly whether it was a shiver of desire or something less pleasant. He took care to adjust the temperature till he was satisfied it was warm enough, before he walked quickly back into the kitchen and returned with the kitchen stool in his grasp.

"Take a seat m'lady," Alec smiled, as he reached into Max's shower to retrieve her bottle of shampoo.

Max gratefully took a seat whilst she watched Alec arrange bottles on the bench beside her, before he grabbed one of the towels nearby and carefully draped it around her shoulders.

"Hopefully that'll keep you dry," he murmured as he looked at her carefully, trying to discern if there was any part of her not covered adequately. Max sat still, watching him as he ran his eyes over her, clearly mulling something over until his eyes met her gaze. He gave her a small lopsided smile as he took a step towards her, coming to stand at her shoulder.

"You ready?"

Max nodded once, as she leant her head back over the sink. She suddenly felt Alec's warm fingers slip into her hair.

Alec could feel the tension radiating from Max, but as he gathered her hair in his spare hand and began to work the water through it he felt her begin to relax.

"Hold still, I'll be right back."

Max tried to watch out of the corner of her eye as Alec once again left the bathroom. She heard him open a cupboard in the kitchen before she saw him glide through the door with a plastic cup in his hand.

He repositioned himself by her left shoulder and reached across her with his left hand to slide his fingers through her hair and come to rest at the base of her head, supporting gently.

He dipped the cup into the warm water and expertly began to pour it over her scalp.

As the warm water caressed her skin Max felt herself relax. Since Alec had begun she had been staring at the ceiling, just concentrating on the feeling of what he was doing. She let her eyes drift backwards and to the left, curious to catch a look at Alec's expression. Besides, she was getting bored with the ceiling.

Max watched fascinated as Alec went about his task, and she could see the concentration on his face and how seriously he was taking his assignment. The combination of watching the tiny changes of expression flit across his handsome face, whilst only being able to feel what he was doing, was an unusual sensation.

Suddenly Alec's eyes flashed down to her face, and there was a nervous edge to his look as he studied her expression.

"You alright?" he asked softly; like he was asking if something he was doing to her might be painful.

"You kidding?" Max said with a crooked smile as she held his gaze upside down. "Do you realise how long it's been since I've been to the salon? I might have to make a monthly appointment."

Alec flashed a smile, and Max didn't miss the relieved and slightly pleased look that flashed in his eye. "I'm not sure you could afford my rates."

Max simply rolled her eyes in reply; and she smiled slyly at the image she got of Alec dressed as a stereotypical gay hairdresser as he wielded a pair of sissors over some old woman's mass of purple curles, and yakked to Cindy in the salon they co-owned. Max had to suppress a giggle, and thought that he might yet still be proclaimed to be _Gods Gift To Women _- even if it was only for his revoutionary formula for the prevention of split ends.

Alec suddenly put the cup down, obviously satisfied that Max's hair was thoroughly wet, and whilst still cradling her head, leant across her to retrieve the bottle of shampoo.

Max suddenly found herself face to… face?… with Alec's pec. Max swallowed heavily as it hovered in all its golden muscled perfection in a suspended state of animation only inches from the end of her nose, before it was all too quickly receding like the tide at the beach, leaving the slightly salty and undeniably masculine scent of Alec in its wake.

Max had to force her eyes back to the ceiling as she fought the urge to let them follow that golden expanse of masculine perfection. She also had to remind herself forcefully that in all future interactions between them Alec must be fully clothed, for the sake of both her sanity and her resolve – she didn't want to have to test either of them.

As Alec squirted a healthy dollop of jasmine scented shampoo into his palm and gently began to work it through Max's hair, lathering it up, he wondered what she was thinking about so intently; and for the first time he wondered what she would look like if she were to stop thinking. Alec couldn't remember a time where Max hadn't been deep in thought with that frown of tension marring her forehead, or the purse of her lips, or that sharp analytical look in her eye. The closest he thought she had ever come to losing that look was this afternoon during their paintball fight; and he was secretly pleased that for one small fraction of time he'd been the one to give that to her, even if she hadn't realised what he'd done.

As Alec looked down again he smiled. He realised that his thoughts had perhaps been a little pre-emptive. Max had closed her eyes and appeared unnaturally serene and relaxed, and Alec realised that his question had just been answered.

As Alec's strong sure fingers expertly danced over her scalp, Max couldn't help but to close her eyes and let the sensations wash over her; and she had to agree with whoever had said that by denying one sense you enhanced the others; because right now all she was aware of was the sensations Alec's fingers caused.

Alec worked diligently massaging the shampoo into Max's scalp, ensuring that no area of skin went untendered. He kept the pressure firm, moving over her scalp smoothly and surely. He wanted her to enjoy this, to enjoy his proximity and his touch; it also didn't hurt that he himself was enjoying being able to touch her.

Max suddenly felt as Alec picked up the cup again and began to rinse out the shampoo, and she was kinda sad because she knew it was almost over. Maybe she would have to start another paintball fight soon…

Alec finished washing out all the shampoo and tried to ring out as much water as possible from her locks before he urged her to sit up. He grabbed the towel he had left sitting nearby and began drying her hair gently.

Alec towel dried Max's hair carefully and was surprised that she hadn't taken the towel off him and insisted on doing it herself. She always been someone who didn't like to accept any help that wasn't one hundred percent needed.

Once he'd dried her hair as much as he could, he reached behind her to grab a comb.

Max watched with interest as Alec sat on the edge of the bathtub beside her with the comb in his hand and motioned for her to turn her back to him. She gave him an appraising look before doing as he bid.

As Alec ran the comb carefully through her hair he suddenly thought about how many other people Max would let help her like this – especially this sort of help; the sort she didn't _need_ – and he knew the list was pretty damn short. The only names he could come up with were Cindy and Joshua; and it gave him a warm happy feeling to know his name was among them.

"You know, you're pretty good at this," Max murmured, interrupting Alec's thoughts.

"Well I'm as surprised as you are, Max, because I have never done this before."

At the tone of Alec's voice Max swivelled around to face him, her knees touching his as she reached out instinctively to lay a hand gently on his jean clad leg. "I didn't mean anything by it, other than what I said. You _are_ good at it. You could get a job in any salon," she teased, smiling. "I'll even give you a glowing reference."

Alec chuckled and shook his head. "Gee thanks, Max. If my job as unofficial Second In Command to a Transgenic Nation ever falls through, I'll have to hold you to that very kind offer."

"You bet," Max grinned.

As Alec took in Max's smiling face he suddenly felt content. For the first time in a very long time he wasn't so worried about her. He'd managed to get her mind off work for a couple of hours and relax. He knew that if he could just get her to remember what it was like to have some fun, and that it was alright to do so under the present circumstances, then half the battle would be won. He had a feeling that before Max's world had gone to shit a couple of years ago, she'd been a girl who knew how to have a good time – all he needed to do was remind her of that.

And he thought he'd gone some way to accomplishing that today. She had proven that she had been up for some fun, and Alec had even caught sight of Max's elusive sense of humour – a very rare creature. He knew he couldn't do any more than he had already done. The rest was up to her.

Max sat very still watching Alec watch her, only she could tell that while he was looking at her, he wasn't really _seeing_ her; he was deep in though about something.

"Hey, what's the matter?" she asked, lightly squeezing his knee to get his attention. She watched in fascination as suddenly his eyes cleared, and she knew he was now seeing her.

He flashed her a gentle smile, and gazed at her fondly. "I was just thinking that I like seeing you this way," his hand reached out to stroke a lock of damp hair that hung beside her face.

Max snorted a little self-consciously. "What, looking like a drowned rat?"

"No," Alec chuckled. "Although there is something undeniably appealing about you when you're all wet and…unguarded like this," he breathed, his tone intimate as his eyes flicked over her, taking in her damp hair and unusually skimpy attire.

Max lightly swotted his leg with the hand still on his knee, averting her eyes. His look and his tone made her uncomfortable in a way that wasn't unpleasant.

Alec chuckled, inordinately pleased as a light blush swept across Max's cheeks before quickly dissipating. He caught the hand that had swotted his leg before she could retract it and held it against his thigh, before leaning in further and threading his fingers through her hair, his hand resting on the back of her head, holding her close.

"I mean it," he said seriously. "I like this side of you. The happy, carefree, relaxed Max. Did you know you sparkle when you're like this?"

Alec looked at her intently and Max knew that he was telling her the truth; or at least the truth as _he_ saw it. There was nothing but honesty in his eyes. And Max realised that she wanted to be like he described more often, if only to have him look at her like he was now.

"Stop it, Alec," Max said in a teasing tone, but there was an underlying warning to it that Alec recognised.

"Fine. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, I just thought you should know," he said softly, his hand gliding out of her hair, gently brushing her cheek as he drew away from her, and Max felt the distance acutely.

Max held his gaze and gave an almost imperceptible nod, grateful that he wasn't going to push too hard with the whole compliments thing.

"Did you need a hand getting cleaned up?" she asked softly. She knew by looking at him that the answer was no. He hadn't gotten nearly as messy as she had – that was the inconvenience of long hair, it got messy in situations like these. He only had one small patch where he had obviously dragged his hand through his hair and transferred paint. Even though she knew he didn't need any help, Max had had the urge to offer.

Alec suddenly smirked lasciviously, looking pointedly at her before his eyes dropped meaningfully down to the fluoro splotch she'd inflicted high up on his thigh. Max's eyes widened as she noted the precarious positioning of the stain. She could barely think straight with a shirtless Alec, she didn't want to consider the effect a pantsless Alec would have on her blood pressure. She was _bound_ to rupture something permanently.

Max met Alec's eye and raised her eyebrows in faux innocence's. "You're really about to trust me down there with rubbing alcohol that can strip paint?" an evil smirk blossoming as she eyed his crotch again.

This time it was Alec's eyes that widened. "You know…on second thoughts, I think I might be able to handle this one myself."

"Well, if you're sure…" Max smirked as she stood and sauntered out the door, flashing Alec a vicious smirk over her shoulder. Alec gulped. That look promised pain, but he had a strange feeling he might actually enjoy it.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Alec muttered to himself, knowing Max had won that round as he stood, his hands going to the front of his jeans to undo his fly. "You could always stay and keep me company?" he offered, noting the way Max's eyes were glued to the progress his fingers were making on the front of his pants.

Max's eyes snapped back up to Alec's amused gaze, before her own expression turned humorous. "I wouldn't want to intrude on such a… _private_ moment." She flashed him a wicked smirk before deftly shutting the door behind her, leaving her innuendo hanging thick in the air.

* * *

_**A/N:**__ Well I hope you all liked this little extension. I think this might be the last you hear from me for a while. I'm still working on the epilogue, but it's slow going – I've kinda lost my mojo. Plus I'm working on some other projects at the moment, so until I find some M/A inspiration I don't think I'll be around much. Thanks for reading, and I'd love to hear what you thought!_


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